Malnourished Children of Thar in Pictures

With seven new fatalities, malnutrition continues to claim lives of infants and children under 5 years of age in Tharparkar. According to the local health officials, 86 children have succumbed to death over the past three months in the district. PakVoices captured some of the latest photos of the children affected by malnutrition and waterborne diseases. Here are some of the moments showing the pain of these children:

This year 86 children have died due to malnutrition and waterborne diseases, according to the district health officer.

Civil Hospital Mithi has received the largest number of the ailing children. In total, 26,709 children were brought to six health facilities in the district Tharparkar.

Health experts emphasize pre-natal care to pregnant women in order to contain the malnutrition issue.

Increasing temperature and the shortage of drinking water are the main cause of the malnutrition among children in Tharparkar, according to public health experts.

Parents complain that the Civil Hospital Mithi lacks facilities to control the malnutrition among children.

As the malnourished children continue to die, some are criticizing the Sindh government for failing to respond to the health emergency with adequate measures.

Early marriage of women is also one of the factors causing malnutrition of newborn infants, say health experts.

This year 135 children in critical condition were referred to Hyderabad Hospital. The top district health official does not know whether how many children survived after being referred to outside Mithi.

Varkha Pardeep is a citizen journalist working with PakVoices from Mithi, Tharparkar.